Vote for Melissa Miller in 20th Assembly District

Posted
Thursday, November 1, 2018 3:24 pm

Melissa "Missy" Miller

In the nearly two years that Atlantic Beach resident Melissa Miller has been a state assemblywoman, she has learned that government moves at a glacial pace — which Miller, the mother of a special-needs child, finds frustrating.

A Republican in the Democratic-dominated Assembly, Miller has learned to pick her spots and find ways to better her constituents’ lives. She has become more open and welcoming, meeting with residents.

She has said she believes in term limits, and that a maximum of three four-year terms would help keep nurture fresh perspectives in the Legislature. She supports a ban on outside income, views her position as a full-time job, and cannot believe that other legislators can adequately represent their constituents while working in other careers.

Miller maintains that state government could benefit from more transparency and more public hearings, especially for any project that uses taxpayer money, and we agree. With the opioid epidemic a top concern, Miller favors pressing insurance companies to pay for extended in-patient treatment.

Democrat Juan Vides, an Oceanside resident and a successful businessman, is Miller’s opponent, while Jack Vobis is running on the Women’s Equality and Reform party lines. Vides proposes ending the so-called pay-to-play system by creating a database of companies and special-interest groups, and their interactions with Albany lawmakers, to increase the public’s awareness of the conflicts of interests, which is not a bad idea.

We believe, however, that Miller has earned another two years, and encourage voters to show her their support on Tuesday.